The present invention generally relates to umbrellas. More specifically, this invention relates to umbrellas having air venting means which prevent the umbrellas from turning inside out during high winds.
The problems of umbrellas turning inside out from the pressure of high wind is generally known. Various attempts to resolve this problem have been made in the prior art. Umbrellas which have air vents at the crown of the fabric body of the umbrellas are shown in Thomas U.S. Pat. No. 1,031,974; Belnivegna Des. 162,617; Wendorf U.S. Pat. No. 03,032,047; Farley U.S. Pat. No. 3,456,661; and Williams U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,063. In Khalil U.S. Pat. No. 1,723,044 a wind-resistant umbrella is disclosed having air venting means formed in the top portion of the rod handle. Ryder et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,008 discloses a wind-resistant umbrella having a plurality of flexible flap vents integrally formed throughout the fabric body of the umbrella.
The prior art wind-resistant umbrellas generally provide means to vent wind pressure by directing air upwardly and laterally from the umbrella. While this construction relieves the pressure on the interior of the umbrella to prevent it from being turned inside out, laterally-blown rain may enter the venting means to render the umbrella ineffective for its primary purpose. A preferred construction for an umbrella having air venting means would prevent even laterally-blown rain from entering the venting means during release of pressure on the umbrella fabric body.